lDanielHolm

Yes, because the Breaths needed for a Returned to survive is needed for their Investiture, not their function as, well, Breath -- which must include at least part of the Cognitive aspect of the person they originally came from. That part is most likely what gives Awakened objects their sentience. You wouldn't get that with Stormlight. So Vasher can live off of Stormlight instead of Breaths, but that doesn't mean he can Awaken with it. Though come to think of it, he may be able to Awaken with just one Breath and use Stormlight to fuel the Awakening to make more complex Commands than a single Breath normally allows. Hmn.

Are we even sure that's possible? Breaths aren't just Investiture, I don't think.

I wouldn't be so quick to appoint Hoid as a hero.

The draw weight of a bow comes from how strung it is. The stronger and more flexible the limb, the more you can bend it when you string it. Reducing the strength of the limb while it is strung would just cause it to fail.

That's a bit of a stretch, in my opinion. I think it's more likely that Odium hasn't chosen a champion after Dalinar refused to be it, and that's why Odium can't personally step in anymore. He needs a champion to act in his stead.

http://coppermind.net/wiki/OreSeur is also affected by this.

Rashek taking the power from the Well of Ascension for himself, yes, absolutely. But the status quo at the start of Mistborn? That's harder to justify.

Recall that Rashek was Preservation's champion. The status quo at the beginning of Mistborn served Preservation. It is hard to argue that it was in any way "good", though.

Forch.

Just as you are free to post that you hate him, we are equally free to defend him. If you don't like it, tough. Really don't feel like going along with an echo-chamber just because you want one.

We don't know enough about what creates Feruchemists to formulate much of a theory. We know that Allomancers existed (though were extremely rare) before the Lord Ruler--Alendi was a Bronze Misting, a Seeker, which is how he could feel the mists--and that the Lord Ruler used the beads of lerasium he found at the Well of Ascension to create the first Mistborn. Perhaps Feruchemists exist outside of Terris as well, in the same manner, and they never discover their abilities because they have no one to teach them. If the Sovereign taught them in the south, they could be who create the Excisors.

I honestly feel it more likely that his Cognitive aspect enforced it, rather than he cut himself physically. Much like how Kaladin in Words of Radiance cannot rid himself of his scars.

I also wouldn't label him a sociopath myself, but I don't think it's wrong of Brandon to have called him one if he did so on the basis of that criteria.

As far as I am aware, it is actually possible to be diagnosed as having ASPD while still possessing empathy. Here is the DSM-IV's definition (I don't know whether it changed in DSM-5): A.) A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three or more of the following: failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest; deception, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure; impulsivity or failure to plan ahead; irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults; reckless disregard for safety of self or others; consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations; lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another. B.) The individual is at least age 18 years. C.) There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years. D.) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or a manic episode. Seems to me that Kelsier does actually fit (at least for a layman).

Are there perpendicularities which are not Shardpools?